A Taste of Magic Read Online Free PDF Page A

let yourself into my apartment, you can pull me in from the other side.”
    “You keep a key hidden outside your apartment? That’s not safe.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m pretty darn happy it’s there now,” I growled. Oops, wrong tactic. No need to piss the guy off. “I mean, I know, and you’re right, and I promise I’ll move it if you’ll just get me down.”
    “What ever, lady. We’ll try it your way. If it doesn’t work, I’m calling for help.” As he walked away, the mutter “Why do I meet all the crazy ones?” met my ears.
    Right back at you, buddy.
    The wait seemed excruciatingly long, but that possibly had more to do with the intense discomfort I was in rather than the actual number of minutes the cop took to get to me. When the bathroom light blazed on, I winced. Because the window was above the bathtub, all I could see was the fifteen-dollar white shower liner I’d bought at Wal-Mart almost a year ago. I probably should replace it; it was kind of dingy.
    “You there?” He really had a great voice. Deep and rumbly. I still had to pee.
    “Where would I go?”
    The curtain whipped back. I sucked in a deep breath— which wasn’t that easy due to my current predicament.
    The stranger was in uniform, so it appeared he’d been honest with me and really was a police officer. Kudos for him. His black hair was in a military cut, and his eyes were a shade of green I hadn’t known existed. Not romance novel handsome, but I definitely wouldn’t toss him out of bed—if he managed to find his way there. With the way my year had gone, that wasn’t likely.
    His gaze took in my appearance, and I couldn’t help but wonder exactly what he saw. I suspected it was better I didn’t know.
    “Let’s get this over with. What’s your name?”
    “Elizabeth.”
    “Hi, Elizabeth. I’m Nate Sutherland.” As he spoke, he grabbed my purse and flipped it open.
    “What are you doing?”
    “I’m ascertaining you are who you say you are.”
    “Can’t you get me out first?”
    “No.”
    Jerk. Stupid, sexy jerk.
    “I have to pee.”
    “Shouldn’t have had so much to drink.”
    I watched as he opened my wallet and scanned my driver’s license and then raised his gaze to my face. “Sorry about that, Elizabeth.” He tossed my purse to the floor.
    Stepping halfway into the tub, Nate grasped underneath my arms. Right at my armpits. I hoped my anti-perspirant hadn’t stopped working. Wow, he smelled really nice. Sort of woodsy and manly all at once. I’d have to ask him what cologne he was wearing.
    “Ready?”
    “God, yes.”
    “I’m going to pull you out now.” Nate’s grip tightened and then he yanked. When I barely budged, he tugged again with far more force. I fell forward, and by reflex, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Moving his hands down to my waist, he pulled slower this time.
    This cop was strong; even with the majority of my weight in his arms, he stayed upright. Gotta like that in a man.
    “I’m just going to step backward and bring you the rest of the way—” Before he could finish the sentence, my skirt gave up its fight. The piece of fabric that had been caught let loose. I tumbled into Nate, he tumbled backward, and in no time at all I was free. Free!
    I was also in the arms of, and on top of, a fairly sexy guy— a sexy guy who, naturally, didn’t appear very pleased. More’s the pity.
    I stood up, fast, and tried to right my ruined skirt as much as possible. Its destruction saddened me, as it had been a long eight-hour day of shopping to find the dang thing to begin with. And I hated shopping.
    Wrapping my arms around myself, I rubbed my arms in an effort to warm up. “Can you give me a minute?”
    As he righted himself, Nate frowned. Fortunately, he didn’t argue—just backed out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
    I wasn’t fast, but after I completed the necessities, I checked the mirror. Horrid wouldn’t begin to describe my appearance. Washing my face helped.